phobia

noun

Definition of phobianext
as in panic
an extremely strong dislike or fear of someone or something His fear of crowds eventually developed into a phobia.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of phobia Similarly, a 2019 study in JAMA Psychiatry followed 579 New Zealand children over three decades and found that children exposed to lead were more likely to grow up to have anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, or substance abuse issues. — Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025 If the thought of being cramped in a tight space triggers your flight phobia, book an aisle seat in advance. — Jenna Ryu, SELF, 7 Jan. 2025 One of her friends—not at the party—was having a difficult time dealing with a host of phobias that included diseases, disease vectors, and potluck-type situations. — Hannah Gold, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025 The person with a phobia does not want to be terrified of spiders. — Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 10 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for phobia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phobia
  1. panic
  2. terror
  3. scare
  4. anxiety
  5. fright
Noun
  • That idea—of a grand continuum, in which the circumstances change but all of our big human feelings (heartache, joy, unease, panic, contentment) remain the same, across time and vast distances—felt germane to her new songs.
    — Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Mix that with panic, dread, and disappointment from the judges, pack your bags!
    — Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of panic
Noun
  • Read more Map shows US states allowing firing squad executions Judge blocks nitrogen gas execution in Louisiana, citing 'pain and terror' Are executions in the US on the rise?
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Catch up quick: The Houthis began launching ballistic missile and drone attacks against Israel less than two weeks after the Hamas October 7 terror attack.
    — Barak Ravid, Axios, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of terror
Noun
  • Still, the market behavior to date – as dizzying and against-consensus has it’s been – has not deviated enough from a typical setback in a post-election growth scare to insist that the rules for assessing this market’s prospects have changed definitively with the leadership the White House.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Rather than scare tactics, the initiative presents the positives of safely enjoying the sun.
    — Faye Brookman, WWD, 4 Mar. 2025
Definition of scare
Noun
  • Extreme deficits may lead to obsessive food tracking, anxiety around eating, or disordered eating patterns.
    — Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Some patients who try to quit benzodiazepines suffer extreme anxiety, memory loss and intense physical pain.
    — Alex Knapp, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of anxiety
Noun
  • Objects are often askew and out of frame, and everyday sounds like a toilet flush or blinds being pulled assume a low, staticky growl, as though frights fueled by childish imagination.
    — Gayle Sequeira, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2025
  • In a second Instagram Stories post, the singer offered another look at the cake, featuring a large bust of a clicker, the fungal zombie-esque frights from the Last of Us video game franchise and HBO series of the same name.
    — Gil Macias, People.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Definition of fright

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“Phobia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phobia. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on phobia

Nglish: Translation of phobia for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about phobia

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